Bridgeport Claims ECC Title With 70-61 Win Over Men's Basketball
Box Score
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (March 7, 2010) – Junior guard
Jermaine Washington (Philadelphia, Pa.) scored a game-high 24 points to lead the University of Bridgeport past C.W. Post, 70-61, in the final game of the East Coast Conference Championships Sunday afternoon at the Pratt Recreation Center.
Bridgeport improves to 23-8 overall and will advance to the NCAA East Regional. C.W. Post ends its season with a 23-6 overall record and ends its home win streak at 43 games with its last loss coming against Assumption on Dec. 18, 2007.
Bridgeport jumped out to a 4-0 start before the Pioneers got on the board with two deuces from junior forward
Aaron Hall (Syracuse, N.Y.) that started an 11-0 run.
The Purple Knights climbed back late in the half with an 11-0 run to take a four-point lead with 4:51 remaining. The Pioneers answered back with a three-pointer and a layup from senior forward
Nemanja Jokic (Somber, Serbia) to take a one-point lead (25-24).
Bridgeport regained the lead with a pair of free throws from senior guard Steve Martin (Philadelphia, Pa.) with 2:06 on the clock. The Purple Knights finished off the half with a long three from the top of the key with four seconds to spare.
Jokic led all scorers with 12 points and five rebounds in the half.
The Pioneers tied the game for the fifth time and went ahead with a close range jumper from freshman guard
Jonathan Kohler (Bordentown, N.J.) and completed a traditional three-point play with a made free throw at 18:31.
The Purple Knights answered with a finger roll from junior forward Tim Cokley (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) at 17:42. Hall scored on the next possession with a layup to return the lead (36-35) in the Pioneers' favor with 17:21 to play.
C.W. Post maintained the lead over the next three minutes of play with help from Kohler, who scored a layup and a pair of free throws.
Bridgeport tied the game up with a jumper from junior guard Nick Daggett (Philadelphia, Pa.) at 14:32. Jokic added a layup at 14:02. Washington tied the game for the seventh time with a jumper at 13:29.
The teams exchanged the lead over the next two minutes and registered the ninth tie up after senior forward Kirk Williams (White Plains, N.Y.) scored a layup at 11:21.
Kohler put the Pioneers ahead with a layup at 11:21. The lead would hold for next four minutes of play before Martin banked a jumper to put the Purple Knights ahead, 54-53, with 7:26 to play.
The Pioneers came as close as within four (65-61) with 1:10 on the clock after senior guard
Roberto Macklin (Wappinger Falls, N.Y.) knocked down a jumper. But Bridgeport would hold on and outscore C.W. Post 5-0 to close out the game.
Bridgeport shot .441 (26 of 59) from the field and held a 36-34 advantage on the boards. C.W. Post shot .455 (25 of 55) from the field. The Purple Knights outscored the Pioneers, 25-6, in turnovers and got help from the bench with 38 points.
Martin finished the game with 14 points. Williams grabbed eight boards for the Purple Knights.
Jokic led the Pioneers with 19 points and eight rebounds while Kohler and Hall each chipped in 15 points.